


You say you're numb inside (But I can't agree)

by thegirl20



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25991251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirl20/pseuds/thegirl20
Summary: Yennefer and Tissaia together after the world's gone mad. (Zombie AU)
Relationships: Tissaia de Vries/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 20
Kudos: 46





	You say you're numb inside (But I can't agree)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Yennaia Flash Fiction Challenge](https://eileniessa.tumblr.com/post/626373209417252865/yennaia-flash-fiction-challenge).

"How is she?"

Tissaia looks up to find Yennefer in the doorway, looking down at Sabrina in concern. The ever present knot in her stomach loosens just a little now, that they're all together again. She pulls the ragged blanket a little tighter around Sabrina, and stands, motioning for Yennefer to follow. They walk down the darkened hallway into the kitchen, where Tissaia notes there are a number of unlabelled tins sitting on the table; Yennefer's latest venture has yielded treasures. She sighs and rubs at her eyes.

"She's just the same." No, that's not quite true. "She's weaker. Less responsive. Still refusing to eat." She's been that way for nearly two weeks now. Since they lost Triss to a biter.

Yennefer nods and drops into one of the rickety kitchen chairs and covers her face with her hands. Tissaia frowns when she sees her left hand is wrapped in a dirty piece of fabric that's soaked with blood.

"You're hurt," she says, pulling another chair round the table, closer to Yen.

"Hmmm." She looks at the back of her hand, frowning. "Oh yeah. It's nothing. Caught it on a bit of metal when I was squeezing in to pick up those tins."

"It's not 'nothing', Yennefer," Tissaia scolds, taking the injured hand in both of her own. Carefully, she peels back the makeshift bandage to assess the damage. It's not deep, thank God, and won't require stitching. She lets out a breath. "It's not that bad, but it still needs to be cleaned and covered with something other than that filthy rag."

"I know," Yennefer says. "I'm sorry."

She nods, gently squeezing Yennefer's fingers. "I don't want some superficial cut to get infected and take you from me." She swallows and looks up to meet Yennefer's eyes. "I couldn't bear it."

"Hey." Yennefer's voice is soft and she moves to kneel on the floor at Tissaia's feet, taking both of her hands and looking up at her. "I'm not going anywhere, okay?" Tissaia nods, sniffing pitifully, feeling very childish. "Any time I'm out there, all I'm thinking about is getting back to you safely."

"Sabrina's going to die." It's the first time she's said it, though she knows they've both been thinking it.

Yennefer presses her lips into a thin line and nods. "I know." She leans forward, resting her head in Tissaia's lap and sighs. Tissaia strokes over her hair, winding her fingers into the long ponytail. "She's given up, hasn't she?"

"It seems so." She brushes her thumb over Yennefer's cheek. "I- I can understand why."

Yennefer lifts her head abruptly, her eyes hard. "No." She shakes her head. "No." She pushes to her feet and paces back and forth as much as it's possible in the confined space. She stops and points to the doorway. "If anything happens to me, I don't want you wasting away like her. I need you to live."

Shrugging, Tissaia stands and moves to the sink, washing the bandage she'd removed from Yennefer's hand. "Triss is dead. Sabrina won't last much longer." She looks over her shoulder. "If you were to die-" Her voice catches and she swallows with difficulty, taking a moment to compose herself. Yennefer comes up behind her and wraps her arms around her, nuzzling her jaw. "If you were dead, what reason would there be for me to go on?"

"To _live_ , Tissaia," Yennefer whispers. "To find other people and use that big brain of yours to help save the fucking world."

"Would it be living?" Tissaia asks. "Or would it be merely existing?" She abandons the cloth and turns in Yennefer's arms, grasping at her and pressing herself against her. "You're the one thing that makes sense, Yennefer. When I wake up in the morning, and see you beside me, I know I can make it through another day." She inhales a shaky breath. "If you weren't there, I just-" She buries her face in Yen's shoulder, closing her eyes and drawing comfort from the solid arms around her.

"Tell you what," Yennefer says, lips against her temple. "Let's both promise to stay alive, yeah? Then we don't need to bother thinking about any of this stuff."

Tissaia smiles, tightening her arms briefly. "That sounds agreeable." She lifts her head and looks up at Yennefer. "I promise to stay alive."

"I promise to stay alive too."

Tissaia pushes up onto her toes to kiss Yennefer's lips. For just this moment, the world slides back onto its axis and nothing bad can happen. But they have to part and Tissaia rubs at her nose with her sleeve, embarrassed at her show of emotion. She steps away and retrieves the paltry medical kit they've managed to salvage along the way.

"Well, to help you keep that promise, I need to clean that cut," she says, taking her seat at the table again and nodding for Yen to take the other.

She sets about cleaning the cut as best she can, ensuring there are no foreign bodies left in it. She then wraps it in a clean piece of cloth, fastening it with a pin. "There." She lifts the hand to her lips to press a gentle kiss to Yennefer's knuckles.

"Good as new," Yennefer says, with a smile.

Tissaia sighs. "If only that were true." She glances at the door. "I should get back to Sabrina. I don't want her to be alone when-" She stops herself. "I don't want her to be alone."

Nodding, Yennefer stands, holding out a hand. "Let's go."

"You need rest," Tissaia protests. "You-"

"I'll rest with the two of you," Yennefer says, tugging her back down the hallway.

Yennefer sits down on the floor, close to Sabrina. Tissaia sits between her legs. She takes Sabrina's hand. It's too thin. Too cold. She closes her eyes and leans back against Yennefer, using her warmth to chase away the chill in the room. Yennefer kisses her cheek and they settle into silence to wait.


End file.
